Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

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camaro_z28

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Sep 15, 2010
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Right now we have 1988 23' sunrunner weekender. We want to upgrade in a year or so. looking for a trailerable 26-29 footer with a legal 8'6" beam or maybe a tad wider. What we want is alot of living space below decks, but also a little entertaining room up top. Twin engines, ac/heat, and maybe even a genset would be awesome. Just wanting some real world advise and expertise. Its hard to judge a boat by online pictures. Not looking to spend a ton, 30K is the absolute top of the budget. Thanks
 
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Adjuster

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Aug 27, 2008
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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

New or old? You could get an extremely nice older Chris Craft for less money than you have budgeted.
 
26aftcab454

26aftcab454

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

make sure you got the truck to pull it- I thought I would park mine on the side of the house like my 20ft- I WAS WRONG! Loading/launching is tuff.
wound up getting a slip at the marina $$$.
 
arks

arks

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Of course, a proper tow vehicle is needed... and if you plan to trailer a boat like that more than a few times per year I guarantee it'll get old really quick. That's a lot of boat on a trailer.
 
Fireman431

Fireman431

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Again on the towing...pulling it on level ground isn't the kicker. It's the braking and getting it up the ramp! But, I'm sure you realize this as you already pull around a 23 footer.

Regarding your new boat, you should look into Rinker, Bayliner, Carver, Silverton, Sea Ray, Cruisers, etc. It might be a little tougher finding one under 30' with twin engines, but they are out there. Once you hit the 30' mark, trailering isn't really an option anymore.

If you want more space below than up top, look into the express cruisers. they offer more below deck area. A/C & heat,along with the genset shouldn't be a problem. Most of those are standard fare now. Get the biggest gennie you can find. I would recommend a minimum 5kw.
 
DaNinja

DaNinja

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Friends have trailered their 29'-32' boats to my ramp pretty rountinely. These are sport "go fast" boats, though (Fountain, Envision, Black Thunder). I think the OP is looking for a cruiser.
 
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camaro_z28

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

I have a silverado with the duramax that pulls 10k pretty easily so I'm not too concerned about that. I also have a slip every year so the boat wouldnt be towed too often, but for now I would like that option still open. My wife wants a newer boat because the space is used more effective, but to me the age isnt that big of a deal as long as its well equiped.
 
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rbh

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Once you get past the 26-27 foot the beam goes up, our 270 sundancer is 10 foot on the beam. Do not worry about hauling a 10 foot wide boat down the road, just remember to get a wide load permit and flag the stern when traveling in day light hours (lights at night)
 
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haulnazz15

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

I'd say a 28' cruiser is probably the biggest boat you can keep trailerable. The boats will be pushing the 8-10,000lbs mark with trailer and just get to be a pain to get on the trailer sometimes, especially with a single screw.

rbh said:
Once you get past the 26-27 foot the beam goes up, our 270 sundancer is 10 foot on the beam. Do not worry about hauling a 10 foot wide boat down the road, just remember to get a wide load permit and flag the stern when traveling in day light hours (lights at night)
Click to expand...

They must've gone to an 8'6" beam in the 90's on the 270DA. I know they went to a 9'2" beam in 1998 with a slight design change on the 270, but all the mid-90's have the skinnier beam and could probably be found right at/under 30K I'd imagine.
 
25thmustang

25thmustang

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

This size boat is what I was looking for. The largest thing I found that made the boats feel roomier, was the beam. I went from a 27 with an 8.5 beam to a 29 with a 10.8 beam. HUGE difference in the cabin space. The cabins were probably close in length, but the beam made the 29'er seem worlds larger.

The larger beam does make for more work towing though. Wide Loads, planned routes, less options, but the trade off might be worth it.

There are a lot of nice ones out there, and $30K for a used one opens up options. Start poking around on a bunch of them. You should narrow down what you like quick.

BTW I find the older boats actually seem roomier than the newer, swoopier styled ones.
 
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camaro_z28

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Just wondering how much I would save towing it home when not in use vs. having it hauled out and kept at lake erie? Right now I keep my boat at a smaller lake and pay $600 a year for dockage, but only have 900 acres to circle around. I live about 1 hr away from lake erie and would maybe consider just keeping a boat up there without being trailered but paying to have it hauled and stored, but really dont know much about it. I really would prefer about a 29-30 footer with a wide beam, but that rules out trailers. any local info on lake erie, mostly around the port clinton area?
 
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lakegeorge

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Look for an aft cabin, they will give you a lot more room than any express. I see people pulling enormous Travel Trailers all the time and they don't seem to have any problem.
 
JoLin

JoLin

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

I'm closing right now on a '97 Four Winns Vista 278- twin V-P 4.3's, 27' and 9.5' beam. Nice layout. I won't be trailering anymore, tho. Boats of that size are darned heavy - hope you have help to launch and retrieve.

Are you looking at manufacturers' websites and archives? 4Winns, Larson, Searay, Carver... all have brochures, deck plans and full specs available online for their past models.

One note- twin engines in a boat with an 8.5' beam is gonna be tight. Really tight. As in, hard to service and repair. And a genset, too? That's gonna be one crowded engine room. Don't drop your cell phone :)

Also, I've done a lot of shopping in the past few years and don't recall seeing any narrow beam boats that had twins in them.

Good luck- shopping is fun!

My .02
 
Bob's Garage

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

A club member has a 29' Four Winds Vista that he tows regularly and another new member has a 1990 Carver that is rated as a 25' but is huge with it'e 9' beam.

I have looked at a number of the 1990's Carvers, by photo, in the www.yachtworld.com site and there are some with twin engines, 4.3 engines.

I am told that they still have a large amount of engine room. I know that the 1990 25'er has so much room a guy could actually lay down in it to work on the engine.

You have the truck so moving the boat will only entail you having the confidence to do it. The guy with the Carver pulls his with a 3/4 ton Tahoe.

The member with the 29' Vista uses a 3/4t Ford on a triple axle trailer.

I like the Carver better for its room but is under powered with the 350 engine.

Just be careful when shopping that you get enough power with it to fulfill your expectations on performance. You can add A/C, or a genset (and they would be better as they would be new), cheaper than having to re-power an under performer.
 
JoLin

JoLin

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

That 1990 Carver 25' (has to be a Montego) has a 9.5' beam, not 9'. Same as my Four Winns so no reason it couldn't have been available with duals. 1990 was also the last year they made a wide-beam 25'er. When they resurrected that length a few years later, it had an 8.5' beam. Single engine only.

Four Winns' first year for the 298 Vista was 1999. That sucker has a 10.5' beam.

The fact is that a boat that wide is not legally trailerable without special permit(s), and might require (depending on state, I suppose) a lead or chase car to accompany the tow-er. Might get away with it, might not.

My .02
 
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camaro_z28

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

In ohio its $100 a year for a boat wide load permit, they have some restrictions but doesnt seem too bad. I might just be leaning more towards a wider beam boat and say the heck with trailering. I'll just have to get used to the idea i suppose.
 
dbkerley

dbkerley

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

With regard to the Montego and several others I have seen of those year; it seems the manufacturer blew out the upper deck to allow more room below and moving forward in even moderate swells can be scary. I like the older boats primarily because of the wider walkarounds and good hand holds. Many of the older Chris Craft Catalinas etc. have hand rails running the full length of the cabin roof and could be a good tie off in a pinch or a tie down for a small dinghy.

The weather won't always be good when you are out there. Think about it when you are considering your next boat. Alot of those really sleek looking boats don't even have decent anchor stowage much less deployment. The larger your boat get, the more important anchoring becomes.

Also, some of these boats can be difficult if not impossible to launch at some ramp angles as the transom will drop under before it floats free of the trailer. At a certain point, the trailers are purely for transport puposes and you have to have the boat lifted off into the water. The shallower ramps work most often if you can back in far enough.
 
JoLin

JoLin

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

dbkerley said:
With regard to the Montego and several others I have seen of those year; it seems the manufacturer blew out the upper deck to allow more room below and moving forward in even moderate swells can be scary. I like the older boats primarily because of the wider walkarounds and good hand holds. Many of the older Chris Craft Catalinas etc. have hand rails running the full length of the cabin roof and could be a good tie off in a pinch or a tie down for a small dinghy.

The weather won't always be good when you are out there. Think about it when you are considering your next boat. Alot of those really sleek looking boats don't even have decent anchor stowage much less deployment. The larger your boat get, the more important anchoring becomes.

Also, some of these boats can be difficult if not impossible to launch at some ramp angles as the transom will drop under before it floats free of the trailer. At a certain point, the trailers are purely for transport puposes and you have to have the boat lifted off into the water. The shallower ramps work most often if you can back in far enough.
Click to expand...

Excellent points! My C*C is the most seaworthyboat of it's size and type, that I've ever ridden in. BUT, anchor deployment is hard at best.

Camaro, where do you boat? How important is seaworthiness and dual engines in your planning? Every boat is a compromise... if you're boating in protected lakes, some of your 'requirements' might really only be 'nice to have'

I boat primarily in semi-protected waters. Seaworthiness is important here, dual motors desirable but not absolutely necessary. 99% of the time I'm within sight of land and could call on TowboatUS if necessary. Toss an anchor and wait.
 
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camaro_z28

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

Right now we have our boat on a small lake near our house where the worst chop is a 3 foot boat wake, but with the upgrade we are also thinking about a move up to lake erie. twins arent a "have to have" but i do like the backup engine and the manerverability. but then the downside is more maintainence, etc... I do want a solid feeling boat that can take some chop, because lake erie can kick up some nasty storms in a hurry. I've had my 23' up there in a storm, and it was a wild ride to say the least.
 
25thmustang

25thmustang

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Re: Looking to upgrade, wanting real world advise on a 26-29ft trailerable boat

JoLin said:
I'm closing right now on a '97 Four Winns Vista 278- twin V-P 4.3's, 27' and 9.5' beam. Nice layout. I won't be trailering anymore, tho. Boats of that size are darned heavy - hope you have help to launch and retrieve.

Are you looking at manufacturers' websites and archives? 4Winns, Larson, Searay, Carver... all have brochures, deck plans and full specs available online for their past models.

One note- twin engines in a boat with an 8.5' beam is gonna be tight. Really tight. As in, hard to service and repair. And a genset, too? That's gonna be one crowded engine room. Don't drop your cell phone :)

Also, I've done a lot of shopping in the past few years and don't recall seeing any narrow beam boats that had twins in them.

Good luck- shopping is fun!

My .02
Click to expand...

I have owned two 8.5 beam or less boats with twin engines in the past few years. A 25'er and a 27'er. A lot of the 25-28 narrow beam boats had twin 4 or 6 cyl options. Although I have no specifics, I hear the twin 4 or 6s are fuel efficient and quick in these boats...

One thing your right about, engine room space. Very limited.
 
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